Training Day

Quinn

Jaxon had been giving me the silent treatment since that mortifying morning. I’d built a pillow barrier between us to prevent any more inappropriate dreams from happening.

It seemed to work. Or maybe my blatant desire didn’t do anything for Jaxon. Either way, he’d been distant for the past two weeks.

Honestly, I was relieved. As steamy as that dream was, I knew it wasn’t the real Jaxon. It was a fantasy version I’d conjured up for my own pleasure.

The real Jaxon wouldn’t be so considerate, I was sure.

From what I could tell, Alpha Jaxon only cared about himself.

“Quinn, pay attention!”

I shook my head, trying to refocus. I needed to stop thinking about the enigmatic Alpha and concentrate on my training.

Sky was teaching me how to handle my new werewolf abilities.

It was odd, learning to walk on all fours, figuring out how to fully open my nostrils to take in scents, feeling my gums retract in anticipation of growing canines.

None of this would really matter until I shifted for the first time. But I appreciated Sky’s guidance.

“You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?” she asked, a smirk on her face.

“I can’t help it,” I admitted. “He shares a bed with me and doesn’t say a word. It’s just weird.”

“He can be a bit reserved, I suppose,” Sky suggested.

Alex walked over and tossed me a piece of bread. “Don’t forget to feed her, sis.”

“Go away, Alex,” Sky retorted. “Always trying to steal my thunder.”

I chuckled. The twins had become dear to me since I’d arrived. They were the closest thing I had to friends here.

Behind Alex, I noticed a girl I’d seen around but never spoken to. She was in her own world, fiercely training, punching sandbags and leaping in the air.

She was both impressive and intimidating.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“You haven’t met Harper yet?” Alex replied, surprised. “She’s our resident badass. Keeps to herself mostly. But she’s a valuable pack member.”

I was intrigued by her intensity, fighting invisible enemies with such fervor. Sky must have noticed my curiosity because she spoke up.

“Harper had a rougher transition into the pack than most of us. It’s a long story, and not mine to tell. But…she was in another pack before ours. Whatever happened there, she never talks about it.”

I wondered what kind of tragedy she’d experienced. I thought my life was tough, being bitten and thrust into this unfamiliar world. But it seemed I had a lot to learn about the people around me.

“Alright, back to training!” Sky announced, clapping her hands.

I quickly finished the bread and watched Alex walk away, laughing.

“She’ll shift before the next full moon at this rate!”

“That’s the plan, Alex,” Sky responded. “So she’ll be ready for the ceremony.”

“What ceremony?” I asked. But Sky clammed up. She’d clearly said too much.

Now I was even more curious. But I was throwing myself into the training for another reason.

Once I shifted, I planned to bolt, using my new wolf abilities to run as fast as I could.

~As I could~ being the operative words.

If I strayed too far, the bond between Jaxon and I would start to affect me again. So, I’d have to stay within a certain distance, I assumed.

~Ugh!~

This was all so confusing. Maybe I could live on the outskirts of the castle, moving from one hideout to another. It didn’t sound like a great life, but it had to be better than sleeping next to that silent jerk every night.

Sky held up the target, and I lunged, imagining it was Jaxon’s face.

“Good one!” Sky cheered as my fist made contact.

I grinned. If only I could punch the Alpha in real life…

Jaxon

I watched Quinn train, impressed by her progress. She was a fiery one, this Quinn girl.

I didn’t like keeping my distance, staying silent around her—but I felt I had no other option.

This relationship had to remain strictly professional. It was about the welfare of the pack and nothing more.

Not about what my body craved. Not about what my heart wanted. I’d been down that path before and it had left me shattered.

Damn, I hated being so susceptible to emotions.

Romance wasn’t for me. The Alpha.

And it would never work between Quinn and I—I was certain of that.

So, I just watched her and prepared for the upcoming ceremony, knowing that sooner or later, I’d have to tell her the truth.

Raphael approached me as I stood overlooking the courtyard, looking frustrated.

“Alpha,” he began. “I don’t mean to keep bothering you, but I need to work closely with the Luna, and…”

“I understand, Raphael,” I interrupted. “I’ll handle it tonight. You’ll have everything you need for the ceremony.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Raphael said, nodding and leaving me alone.

I didn’t want to bring it up so soon, but I had no choice. Tonight, when Quinn came into the bedroom, I’d tell her what needed to be done.

Just thinking about Quinn in her skimpy underwear, lying next to me, made me hard. I could still remember the sweet honeysuckle scent of her arousal as she dreamt.

Was she dreaming about me? I could easily cross that silly pillow barrier of hers and make her dreams come true in seconds.

I yearned to taste her.

I had to remind myself to stay strong. To do my job. To keep things professional.

How Quinn would react to the news wasn't my problem.

She had one job, and that was to follow my orders.

With that in mind, I left Quinn to finish her training for the day. I'd see her soon enough.

Quinn

After a shower, I felt refreshed, the hot water washing away the day's fatigue. I stepped out of the bedroom in just a towel, thinking I was alone, until I heard his deep voice and jumped.

“Finally,” he grumbled. “Thought you’d never come out.”

“So,” I said, turning to see Jaxon standing there, looking me over. “You can talk. What do you want?”

I hated how vulnerable I felt, still wet and nearly naked. It put me on the defensive.

“You need to learn how to talk to your Alpha,” Jaxon retorted, a smirk on his face. “It’s not ladylike.”

“Funny, coming from a guy who barely talks! And who are you to tell me what’s ladylike?”

He took a step toward me, and I almost dropped my towel. His eyes sparkled at the thought.

But I wasn’t about to give him a show.

I wasn’t his, no matter what he believed.

“I would’ve thought,” he said, “that you’d have learned something from Sky during your training.”

“We learn to fight, not to curtsy. Just so you know.”

“For ~your~ information,” he shot back, “I’m only here because I have to be. If it were up to me, we’d be far apart, and someone else would be delivering this message.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” I snapped.

But now I was intrigued. ~What message?~ I had a feeling it wasn’t good news. He didn’t seem thrilled to be the one to tell me. So, how would I react?

Before I could ask, he looked away, seemingly uninterested.

“Tomorrow, there’s a small ceremony for the pack. It’s to establish you as my Luna. You don’t have a choice. We’re bonded, whether we like it or not. It’s time we start acting like it.”

~His. No choice. Acting like it.~

He couldn’t have chosen worse words if he’d tried.

“Are you serious?!” I exclaimed. “We barely know each other. We hardly talk. Why would I ever want to be ~your~ Luna?”

“Like I said,” he growled. “You don’t have a choice. Or are you going to defy me?”

I wondered what would happen if I did. Would he rip off my towel and take me right there on the bed?

Why was that the first thing that came to mind? Why did my body ~want~ him to do that?

“Tomorrow,” he repeated. “If you’re not at the ceremony, I’ll drag you there by your hair.”

With that, he turned, left the room, and slammed the door behind him.

~Wow, Alpha Jaxon~, I thought. ~You sure know how to win a girl over.~